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Izabal, the region where I work, has more protected areas than any other region in Guatemala. Called the Caribe Verde, or the Green Caribbean, it abounds with breathtaking scenery as far as the eye can see. Part river, part bay, part jungle, and part ocean, Izabal is a unique area teaming with wildlife and inhabited by a diverse mixture of cultures. Yet just how protected these areas truly are is up for debate. The government lacks proper resources to ensure that these massive sections of jungle are protected from threats such as deforestation, slash-and-burn farming, and poaching of endangered species.

These threats, combined with an increasing number of tourists who come traipsing through the wildnerness and zooming up the river in motorboats has created a problematic vision of the future and only serve to highlight the importance of creating conservation awareness and fostering environmental education now before it’s too late.